Victorino has key hit, Red Sox beat Blue Jays

Boston Red Sox centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring a run while playing against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning of a baseball action in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Rajai Davis, bottom, gets forces out at first base by Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Tuesday, August 13, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Sergio Santos works against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Todd Redmond receives a standing ovation from fans as he is pulled from the game while playing against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

TORONTO – Shane Victorino hit a two-run single in the 11th inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 4-2, last night.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia drew a one-out walk off Aaron Loup (4-5) and Will Middlebrooks followed with a single. Jacoby Ellsbury grounded into a fielder’s choice, with Middlebrooks forced at second and Saltalamacchia advancing to third.

Ellsbury stole second before Victorino grounded a two-run single up the middle.

Koji Uehara (3-0) worked 1 1∕3 innings for the win as the Red Sox won for the ninth time in 13 games at Rogers Centre.

Trailing 2-1, the Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the eighth when J.P. Arencibia hit a leadoff home run off Junichi Tazawa. The homer was Arencibia’s 18th and his first since July 19.

Of the eight home runs allowed by Tazawa this season, five have been hit by Blue Jays batters. Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Adam Lind and Jose Reyes have all connected off Tazawa.

Arencibia’s blast spoiled a strong performance by Red Sox right-hander Ryan Dempster, who allowed one run and four hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to face the Red Sox in his first Blue Jays appearance since Aug. 2, Todd Redmond allowed three hits in 5 1∕3 shutout innings. He walked one and struck out five.

The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the fifth when Brett Lawrie hit a one-out double, went to third on a fly ball and scored on an RBI single by Arencibia, whose hit snapped an 0-for-23 slump.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but Toronto escaped when Brett Cecil struck out Mike Napoli and got Stephen Drew to fly out.

Toronto’s Jose Reyes walked to begin the bottom of the sixth and went to second on Rajai Davis’ grounder. One out later, third base coach Luis Rivera waved Reyes around on a sharp single to right by Encarnacion, but Victorino made a strong throw to the plate to retire Reyes and end the inning. For Victorino, it was his eighth assist of the season.

Having kept the deficit at one, the Red Sox took the lead with a two-run, three-hit seventh. Cecil left after striking out Saltalamacchia but Middlebrooks doubled off Sergio Santos, then scored on Ellsbury’s single.

Ellsbury went to third on Victorino’s grounder and scored on a base hit by Dustin Pedroia.

NOTES

∎ Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz, out since June 9 with a neck strain, is set to throw what Manager John Farrell called an “aggressive” bullpen session Wednesday, including getting up and down between sets of pitches to simulate inning breaks.

∎ Blue Jays RHP Josh Johnson (forearm) was placed on the 15-day DL and RHP Thad Weber was recalled from Triple-A. The Blue Jays have not selected a starter to replace Johnson today, but Weber and RHP Esmil Rogers are the leading candidates.